Review : Oliver Queen, Arrow #1, DC Collectibles 2015

Welcome to our review of the 2015 Oliver Queen figure from DC Collectibles. This figure was the first of the DC Collectible Arrow-verse figures which would go on to expand to include The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Visit our DC Collectible Archive for more figure reviews...

Packaging 3/5

The DC Collectible packaging is a distinctive white gloss shaped box, with the character name printed onto the window box where it turns the corner. In this release the figure is noted as Oliver Queen and not Arrow.

The Arrow logo sits central across the bottom of the packaging and this is carried round and repeated on the side spine alongside an image of Stephen Amell from the show. Round the back we have a checklist of sorts for the other figures released in this wave. These are the actual Arrow figure, The Black Canary and Deathstroke. Unlike most other lines, DCC do not add any bio or text to their packaging.

Out of the box we have the figure sat into an inner tray, and there is a second tray under this which holds his bow and arrows.

Sculpt & Paint 2/5

There is no real likeness to Amell on the figure, and we end up with a more generic male head with blue eyes and a beard. The skin tone is a waxy finish which does work well to give him a sweaty look as we see in the training scenes. The hair is a flat brown with a limited amount of depth to the sculpt.

The body continues with the waxy skin, and there are some wonderful decal tattoos applied in various positions. There is also some subtle scarring in the skin across the chest - and yet we then have the bizarre decision to paint the nipples a really odd pink colour? Around the chest is a strapped quiver.

The lower legs are shared with the Green Arrow figure from the same wave, and are essentially cast in green plastic with a lighter green trim and black boots. The same small quiver hangs from the belt - again same as the Arrow figure.

Articulation 2/5

DC Collectibles are not renowned for being hugely articulated, and Oliver has 16 points overall. We have a ball jointed head with good all round movement. Under this we have a waist joint which is a swivel movement also. The figure is crying out for a chest ball joint or similar to allow him to lean into his bow.

The arms are also restricted in terms of bow firing poses as they come with ball jointed shoulders and then a single jointed rotated elbow which bends to 90 degrees and no further. The wrists are also pivoted and yet the joint is at the side and not the usual position top and bottom?

Our legs are less mobile with very a two-way hip that can swing out in front and to the side. Beneath this we go straight to a single joint rotating knee. We finish with a swivel ankle where the boots meet the trousers, and a further ankle rocker underneath. Oliver stands very well, particularly thanks to the weight of plastic that DCC use, but the legs will only really allow some stances rather than anything more dynamic like a kneeling pose.

Accessories 4/5

Arrow comes with his more traditional bow. The execution on this is impressive with a lot of colouring added around the grip with varying shades of brown with gold and black details. The bow string is real elasticated string so it is thin enough to look in scale and also can be posed in a firing pose.

The bow is designed to fit in the left hand, with the right hand designed to hold the bow. While the left hand works well, the right hand doesn't really hold the bow string too well and it is frustrating to not only get the elbows anywhere near a firing position but then to get the hand to hold the string.

The second accessory is a bundle of arrows and two separate arrows. These are cast in quite a brittle plastic and the two single arrows are badly warped. The painting again is good with alternating yellow and green flights on each arrow. The bundle is made to fill the quiver, which it does but perhaps sits a little too high. The two single arrows are made to be posed with the bow as though they are being fired, but again this right hand fails to hold the arrow in a firing pose.

The third piece is a diorama piece more than anything with the Deathstroke mask totem. The base on this is great as a bundle of stones, painted quite naturally. We then have a wooden post, which is less well painted, and then on top of this the yellow and black Deathstroke mask with an arrow through it. While this looks good from some angles, if you turn it round you will see the arrow is actually bent and doesn't follow a straight line through the mask.

Summary

The Oliver Queen figure is an interesting choice of release and is quite a brave choice to present him this way at the same time of releasing him in his full Arrow suit. The sculpt on the body is good, but the head likeness is not too great. The level of body detail is great too with the scarring on the skin and tattoos around the body.

The articulation is lacking, arms in particular, which will impact posing later on - particularly when you try to get him to fire his bow. Double jointed elbows would have been much better, and they could have sacrificed some of the leg articulation for this? The accessories are nice, one of the best bows released for any archer figure in this price bracket, but the attention to detail on the arrows and the totem is poor.